Organization Name
Blaffer Gallery- Art Museum of the University of Houston

Address
The Art Museum of the University of Houston
120 Fine Arts Building
Houston, TX 77204-4018

Organization Description
Operating on the cutting edge of contemporary culture, Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, is Houston's premier venue for open and ongoing engagement with the ever changing nature of the art of today, the recent past, and the near future. As a contemporary art museum, Blaffer Gallery embraces experimentation and creative acts of daring originality and vision, and promotes a spirit of investigation and discovery in the field of visual art and culture. Blaffer's ambitious program includes six to eight exhibitions and publications a year, many premiering at the museum before traveling the world. Combining strong local ties with a global outlook, Blaffer exhibitions feature regional, national, and international contemporary art, presenting artists of diverse backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities with a special focus on work by emerging or under-recognized artists.

Internship Dates
Applications accepted for each spring/summer/fall semester. The application deadline is the first day of the respective semester for the UH Main Campus (for fall 2009, the deadline is extended to August 31st), and the duration of the internship will extend through the last class day.

Description of Internship

The program offers real world experience in all aspects of nonprofit arts including: curatorial, education, public relations, development, and
administration. In each of these fields, students will receive hands-on
experience in the field where they can, among many other tasks, conduct
art-based research, design promotional/press materials, help implement
educational programming, and assist in the cultivation and retention of
donors and board members. The program strives to make the experience as
rewarding as possible for the students by limiting the time spent on
menial office tasks, developing close relationships with staff, and
participation in a specially designed mentorship program.

Learning Objectives:

Work closely with museum staff to develop specialized skills useful for future employment. Interns give a presentation of completed projects at the end of each semester.

Gain membership in the Blaffer Student Association, and will gain access to BSA programs and have the opportunity to undertake mentorship activities.

Build a professional network by attending behind-the-scenes and member’s only events, interacting with board members, artists, curators, and program participants alike.

Enrollment in the Blaffer Gallery Alumni Program (after completing the internship) and participate in networking activities with other Blaffer Alumni at the museum

Specific Duties:

Press releases: draft, edit, and email to press contacts; maintain updated contacts in the university’s Advance database, on Excel, and in the museum’s email marketing database.

Press packets/report: a report on what press each show receives. Requires retention of all printed and online listings, reviews, and articles regarding exhibitions.

Assist with designing and distributing of flyers around campus announcing upcoming events.